# Converting string to java.util.date **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [July 22, 2022, 5:53am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194 "2022-07-22T05:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sri\_Haran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Sri\_Haran](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Sri_Haran)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 5:53am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/1 "2022-07-22T05:53:39Z")
Hello All, I’m in need of to compare a time interval between two time\_stamp where one from database and for another i use system.time.now() function then to calculate time difference i used function called system.date.minutesBetween() when i passed the 2 arg inside this function the first arg from database is showing like TypeError: minutesBetween(): 1st arg can’t be coerced to java.util.Date Any suggestion would be appreciated Thanks ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 9:55am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/2 "2022-07-22T09:55:00Z")
If it’s coming in as a string, try using [system.date.parse()](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/system.date.parse). ---
**Author:** ![lrose](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/lrose/32/62724_2.png) [@lrose](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/lrose)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 12:19pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/3 "2022-07-22T12:19:02Z")
What is the column type in the database table where the date is stored? ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Haran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Sri\_Haran](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Sri_Haran)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 6:47am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/4 "2022-07-23T06:47:44Z")
it was timestamp without timezone ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 9:53am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/5 "2022-07-23T09:53:58Z")
And it’s coming in as a string? Or are you coercing it to a string? What datatype do you get when you use something like `print type(myTimeStampValue)`? ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Haran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Sri\_Haran](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Sri_Haran)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 9:59am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/6 "2022-07-28T09:59:03Z")
Hi @JordanCClark, Sorry for the delay in reply the datatype was not a string it’s an arrayList ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/4/3/434497418b03b2ba06ed1cbd9a96ec9e6dfc0ff5.png) Thanks & Regards, Sri ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:01am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/7 "2022-07-28T10:01:22Z")
Well, that’s because you grabbed it as a list. 😉 What about `type(sri[0])` to get the type of the first value of the list? ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Haran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Sri\_Haran](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Sri_Haran)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:03am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/8 "2022-07-28T10:03:22Z")
Hey sorry @JordanCClark, it was \ Regards, Sri ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:04am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/9 "2022-07-28T10:04:52Z")
No worries, Sri. > [@Sri\_Haran](#): > > it was \ Huh. Well, there shouldn't be an issue with minutesBetween() then. ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Haran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Sri\_Haran](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Sri_Haran)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 10:10am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/converting-string-to-java-util-date/62194/10 "2022-07-28T10:10:47Z")
That’s fine man i used some other methods actually my requirement was changed from checking DB time to current time Thanks Sri